Ian Bell backs England to rediscover winning form against India

Ian Bell says England can draw hope from their win in the first ODI against India as they try to level the series.

Last Updated: 21/01/13 2:29pm

After winning the first gamein Rajkot by nine runs, the tourists have been resoundingly beaten in the last two matches, losing by 127 runs in Kochi and then seven wickets in Ranchi.

If England are to win the series, they must claim victory in Mohali on Wednesday and Bell is keen to remind his side that they have proved themselves once during this trip.

"Hopefully we have the opportunity to put in a performance like we did in the first ODI and take it to 2-2," said Bell. "We went into that first match after losing two warm-ups but we put in a performance. We have to keep believing we can win and we've shown we can do that.

"We have to get our basics right and we have to perform. There's no doubt we set a platform in the first match. If we get a platform, our middle order is very powerful and destructive.

"But we need a foundation for our big hitters in the middle to get us going. We've shown we can do it in the first ODI. But maybe we didn't adapt well enough to conditions since, certainly in the last game."

Batting has been England's problem, with totals of 158 and 155 in the last two games, and Bell feels he and his fellow batsmen need to take responsibility in Mohali.

"They have made us work really hard. But we need to get runs on the board and get a senior batsman batting for the majority of the overs. We haven't done that in the last two and if we do that we can push India," added Bell.

"In the final two games we need to get into a position to hurt India at the back end of the innings."